Author Topic: Books. A great example...  (Read 662 times)

Offline Boroda

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Books. A great example...
« on: July 25, 2001, 08:01:00 PM »
http://www.lib.ru/PELEWIN/pokolenie_engl.txt

It's a long-awaited English translation of Victor Pelevin's great novel - "Pokolenie 'P'" (Generation 'P').

Maxim Moshkow, the owner of www.lib.ru  always asks for author's permission to publish his works on the Net.

"Babylon" is a great book about propaganda, advertising, brainwashing and PR.

I have read all early Pelevin's stories "from screen" in 1992-93, spread via Fidonet, an amateur "offline" network, 3 years before I met Internet. Fidonet still is a great power in Russia, an alternative network for those who want to communicate and want to give away something for free, using their private phone-lines for scheduled mail, echo (newsgroup) and file exchange. The most famous Russian Fidonet station was situated in "rebelious" White House (Russian Federaion government under USSR) during the "coup" in 1991. That guys sent first-hand realtime information about Russian revolution to Finland and other European countries.

Maybe it's the main difference between Eastern and Western christian civilisations?...

I don't have time to read the whole Pelevin's novel in English (read it three times in Russian), but if the translation is at least 1/3 as good as an original - it's worth reading for English-speakers.

It's not the best Pelevin's novel, I think that "Chapayev i Pustota", printed in English as "Clay Machine-Gun" or "Buddah's Little Finger" is much better - but I doubt that it can be translated into any other language. Too many Russian jokes and legends there.

Offline Boroda

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« Reply #1 on: July 25, 2001, 08:19:00 PM »
If you don't like to read from the screen - please pay attention at least to "Che Guevara's article", called "IDENTIALISM AS THE HIGHEST STAGE OF DUALISM", included into the novel.

For Russian-speakers the link to an original text is:
 http://www.lib.ru/PELEWIN/pokolenie.txt

Offline Dmitry

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« Reply #2 on: July 29, 2001, 01:27:00 PM »
thx Boroda... will look into it  :)

Offline GRUNHERZ

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« Reply #3 on: July 29, 2001, 02:15:00 PM »
Yea!!!! Che Guevara is my hero........  :rolleyes:

Jesus guys, its over, communisim is over. GET OVER IT.

Offline mietla

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Books. A great example...
« Reply #4 on: July 29, 2001, 04:17:00 PM »
Hey  Boroda, you forgot that people in US do not read books  :)

Offline mietla

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« Reply #5 on: July 29, 2001, 04:35:00 PM »
Quote
Originally posted by GRUNHERZ:
Jesus guys, its over, communisim is over. GET OVER IT.

You would think so after 80+ years of the spectacular failure, God knows how many milions dead and generations destroyed.

Someone said:
"Only stupid people learn on their own mistakes, smart ones learn on other poople's mistakes."

Unfortunately, some find the notion of "guaranteed rations" apealing.

Offline Boroda

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« Reply #6 on: July 30, 2001, 11:14:00 AM »
Grunehertz, if you'll read the book - I hope you'll find the Che's "article" at least "interesting". The most serious part of an extremely funny novel.

The main character of the novell, PR employee Tatarsky walks around Moscow with a strange urge to spend some money. He walks into a shop and buys a T-shirt with Che Guevara, and an "ouija board". He summons the spirit of Che (in fact because he sees his face on a T-shirt), and the spirit writes down tha above-mentioned "atricle".

It's interesting how easily people place words into my mouth. Mietla, one of us probably don't know English good enough, or our lack of knowledge combines - I can't see any other reason for obvious misunderstanding.

I advice you to hang a Soviet flag onto your wall, to throw something at it instead of trying to persuade everyone that I am an Evil Communist.

I really have read Che's diaries, and his book about partisan warfare. A good reading. Great people, great efforts, good initial goals, but a usual ideological and economical f@#k-up in the end... I am happy that Chechens never read his partisan's tetbook, especialy the ideological part.

I don't know if Americans read books or not, but I always thought that people at flightsim boards usually read more then average. I read at least 100-150 pages daily, and feel extremely uncomfortable if I have nothing to read.

Offline Dowding

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Books. A great example...
« Reply #7 on: July 30, 2001, 11:22:00 AM »
I've always found that area of history interesting. Thanks for the links.
War! Never been so much fun. War! Never been so much fun! Go to your brother, Kill him with your gun, Leave him lying in his uniform, Dying in the sun.

Offline mietla

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« Reply #8 on: July 30, 2001, 01:12:00 PM »
Boroda,
which words have I put in your mouth?

Offline Boroda

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« Reply #9 on: July 30, 2001, 01:26:00 PM »
Unfortunately, some find the notion of "guaranteed rations" apealing.

I was the one who mentioned "guaranteed rations". Did I ever say I like to have them?

Mietla, always calling me "communist" does't show that you are brilliantly smart.

This thread is not about communism. It's about a very good book. If you don't feel like reading something by Evil Russian - it's your problem, not mine.

Offline mietla

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« Reply #10 on: July 30, 2001, 04:34:00 PM »
Quote
Originally posted by Boroda:
I was the one who mentioned "guaranteed rations". Did I ever say I like to have them?

Yes you did. Can't find an exact quote, but in the exchange with Miko, you chastised Miko for leaving the coutry and then you said:

"... I will enjoy my guaranteed rations ..."

 
Quote
Mietla, always calling me "communist" does't show that you are brilliantly smart.

I don't recall calling you a commie, but even if I did, what makes you a commie/or not is not my label but your views expressed in this forum.

 
Quote
This thread is not about communism. It's about a very good book. If you don't feel like reading something by Evil Russian - it's your problem, not mine.

I was replying to GRUNHERTZ, not to your original post.

Offline mietla

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Books. A great example...
« Reply #11 on: July 30, 2001, 04:40:00 PM »
Found an original quote

 
Quote
Originally posted by Boroda:
For me - there are two ways to survive it. Run away like Miko2d, or just enjoy my guarantied ration as an Academy of science employee.

Offline leonid

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« Reply #12 on: July 30, 2001, 11:50:00 PM »
Thanks, Boroda  :)

mietla, enough already, okay?
ingame: Raz

Offline mietla

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Books. A great example...
« Reply #13 on: July 31, 2001, 12:25:00 AM »
ok

Offline Boroda

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« Reply #14 on: July 31, 2001, 09:03:00 AM »
Mietla, maybe I copied what in Russian means a little more, something like "...or I'll have nothing to do then to enjoy my guaranteed ration".

Later in the same thread I already said that I dont want it.

Just to make it clear: we had ration cards here in Moscow in 1989-91. I think that it was enough for me. It was not as bad then in province, but I don't want anything like that to happen again.

The book I mentioned describes the way from the fall of the USSR and ration cards to what we have now. In a weird way, and from a very questionable point of view, but it's a story of the country coming from socialism to an olygarchy, through the story of brainwashing and mental manipulations. "Che's article" included into the book gives you an idea of a modern Russian (or not nessesary Russian) society from "consumption" and "identity" point of view. The ideas described there are very questionable, but - interesting and worth reading.

If you have time - please read it. It will be very interesting for me to hear your opinion.